Final distress call from the Kafkametler ship that sank in Zonguldak revealed: 'Please help, for God's sake'
The distress call from the dry cargo ship named Pallada, which drifted and ran aground in the Ereğli district of Zonguldak, was heartbreaking. Amateur footage also captured other ships witnessing the Kafkametler ship hitting the breakwater and announcing its final status.
İHA
On November 19, a powerful storm with wind speeds exceeding 120 kilometers per hour and high waves in the Black Sea put two ships, the Pallada and the Kafkametler, in great danger. The events continued despite the distress calls from the ship crews. The heartbreaking plea for help from Ümid Hasanov, a crew member of the dry cargo ship named Pallada, which drifted toward the shore with its 13 crew members and ran aground, was gut-wrenching.
Hasanov is heard saying, "The situation is critical. Please help. For God's sake. Help. This ship has split in two. The Pallada ship. Help. The ship has run aground. We are not offshore. We have run aground on the beach. Please help us by checking the coordinates." Amateur camera footage has emerged showing another sailor who heard the announcement attempting to relay the distress call.
The footage also reflects the description of the location of the ship named Pallada, with another announcement stating, "It is inside the Ereğli port. It drifted to the shore. It has run aground there," in response to Hasanov's call for help.
THIS IS HOW THEY ANNOUNCED THE FINAL STATUS OF THE KAFKAMETLER BEFORE IT SANK
Ten crew members of the Turkish cargo ship Kafkametler, which sank after hitting the breakwater, are still missing. Search and rescue operations continue by air, land, and sea. The distress call indicating the final status of the ship before it sank was also reflected in the radio communications. The announcements state that the ship was leaning against the military breakwater and requesting assistance.
In the announcements, it is heard: "It is on the side of the military breakwater. From the sea side, the Kafkametler is also leaning against the breakwater. It is requesting assistance. The Turkish-flagged ship is requesting assistance. Commercial ship. It is at the breakwater section of the Ereğli port. Two ships have broken. One is the ship named Pallada, the other is the Kafkametler. They are sinking. At the breakwater section. They cannot answer the radio. They have currently abandoned the bridge. There are very high waves. The tugboats are trying to protect themselves. The tugboats cannot get out either."
"ARE THE PERSONNEL WHO ABANDONED THE SHIP CURRENTLY ON THE WATER?"
To the question, "Are the personnel who abandoned the ship currently on the water?", the response heard is, "I don't think they have abandoned the ship yet." In response to the announcement, it is heard, "Understood. If you can see them, it would be good if you could provide rescue equipment." The captain reporting the ship's situation is seen responding, "Visibility is currently completely restricted. There is rain and a storm. There is 25 meters of visibility. We are dropping anchor. I am also inside the port. I am anchored. I am only trying to maintain my own position."
In the footage recorded on November 19, the ship captains state that they are under the influence of heavy rain and a storm and are only trying to maintain their own positions. The fact that there was only 25 meters of visibility was also reflected in the footage.